The development of the Marital Attitudes and Expectations Scale

Abstract

Attitudes towards marital relationships have been examined in three ways in the literature. Studies focus on intent to marry, global positive or negative attitudes towards marriage, and expectations for what married life will be like. There are currently no instruments capable of assessing all three of these areas. The present study outlines the development and validation of the Marital Attitudes and Expectations Scale (MAES). The MAES is an instrument designed to measure intent to marry (Intent to Marry Scale, IMS), general attitudes towards marriage (General Attitudes towards Marriage Scale, GAMS), and expectations for marital relationships (Aspects of Marriage Scale, AMS). The MAES is composed of 36-items, and is on a 7-point Likert scale. The MAES is also designed to be applicable for any individual, regardless of marital status or sexual orientation. Results demonstrated internal reliability and construct validity for the instrument.